Spend Time at Gramvoussa Castle While in Chania, Crete
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Crete is one of those enchanting islands that visitors flock to each year. As the southernmost island in Greece, it gets a lot of sunshine. It is also fairly self sufficient and the islanders tend to eat only what they can grow, catch, or raise themselves. There’s also no shortage of things people can do while here. Visiting Gramvoussa Castle is one of those activities that you won’t want to miss! Here’s more information about what it takes to spend time at this castle while on Crete:
Getting to Gramvoussa Castle
Gramvoussa Castle is located on a small islet just off the western coast of Crete near the city of Chania. The castle sits purchased on a hill on that island and it seems to overlook the Crete and the rest of the sea around it. Since it dates back to the Medieval times, sometime in the 16th Century. In order to get to this island, you will need to take a boat. You have a few choices, but one of the easiest is to book a boat cruise that will take you to the castle. Ask at your hotel of visit a tourist information center for options on how to get to this castle. If you head to old town in Chania near the Venetian fortress, you may also be able to find a boat tour at the last minute that will take you to the castle.
About Gramvoussa Castle
Gramvoussa Castle is located on a small island off the coast of Crete near the city of Chania and close to the famous Balos Beach. The history of this castle is a long one and it is thought to have dated back to the 16th Century. Historians have pinpointed the date to somewhere in between 1579 and 1584. The Venetians occupied Crete at the time and they were concerned that the Ottoman Empire would try to expand by invading Crete. They built this castle in response to those fears.
At the time when it was built, it was considered to be an impressive fortress that the Ottomans would never be able to breach. The location was selected because of how strategic it was. It enabled the Venetians the chance to control the sea around them, all the way up to the Peloponnese. The fortress was in use in some capacity all the way up through the Greek War for Independence in the 1820’s.
What to Do at Gramvoussa Castle
The main thing you will want to do while visiting this castle is to explore its grounds! Although the castle isn’t what it used to be, you can still tell how impressive it once was. You’ll need to climb up the hill where the castle is, but once you get there, you will not only be treated with the ability to explore the fortress, but you will also look at the expansive views around you.
While visiting Chania on the Greek island of Crete,e you won’t want to miss the chance to visit Gramvoussa Castle, which at one time was an impressive Venetian fortress.
Categorized in: About Chania, Greece, About Crete Greece, Greek Travel Guide
This post was written by Greek Boston
